Safety attachment for flying-machines



G. H. RI CKE. S AFETY ATTACHMENT FOR FLYING MACHINES.

APPLICATION 'nLEj) AUG-13.19%.

1,382,599.: PatentedJune 21,1921.

I INVENTOI? TTORNEY.

UNITED sT TES I PATENT OFFICE.

. GEORGE H. nroxnfor CINCINNATI, 0111c, ASSIGNOR-TO moir' Kenning. or I NORWOOD, 01x10.

snrn rr ATTACHMENT r03 rLvrnamnonmns To all whom it may concern:

1 3e i known that I, GEORGE RIGKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain-new and useful Improvements in Safety Attachments for Flying-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention belongs to that class of flying machines, known as heavier than air machines, although it may be applied to any other classor style of flying'machine.

It consists essentially in applying a buoyancy chamber or attachment to the machine, provided with a door ordoors underneath, which are always closed, but when the chamber is to be employed to retard the descent of the machine, they are opened by the operator, to allow the ingress of air to said chamber to buoy up the machine, and not allow it to descend rapidly, but to force it to flutter or drift and stop and retard its precipitation to the earth. v

.If the machine is disabled, it is possible for the operator to reach the earth safely, as he can use the chamber as a buoyancy means to assist in guiding the machine to making a safe landing.

The features of my invention and their advantages, will readily become apparent from the following specification.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification:

Figure 1, is anisometric view of a flying machine with my attachment attached thereto, f 1

Fig. 2,-is a bottom view'ofthe buoyancy chamber, 7

Fig. 3, is a sectional view, on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4, is a similar view, without the gas container in the chamber.

In the drawing, 1 represents the body of the machine, supported on wheels 2, through any style of running gear; the head of the machine is marked 3 and the tail piece 4;, and the motor of the machine is located at 5. The wings of the machine are marked 6. Further description of the flying machine is not needed here, as it is well known in the art, the attachment need only'to be'described,

v Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J 1 9 21,. 1921,

, npplication filed August 18, 1919i Serial No. 3 18,299. l I

edge 9; these parts can be made of wire and cloth, canvas, duck'or any strong material which will resist breakage or tear from the inflow. of air. To the bottom 8, I hinge at 1'0 adoor 12, which at its forward part or end is provided with a cable 13, connected to laterally disposed cables or pieces 18 which at their other ends slip through eyes 19 on the door 12; the cable 13 has a catch piece 14, which is connected by a latch or sliding bolt (not shown) to the body of the machine,near to the operator, where it can be "conveniently reached. The buoyancy chamher is attached to the wings '6an1d body 1, by the standard 15, two ofwhich are connected to the outside of the wings 6, at each side of the body 1 and two are connected to the wings and body adjacent to the body itself. They may be made of aluminum wire, ratan, tubes, or any strong supporting means, very .light and not cumbersome and may be attached to the parts in any suitable manner. In order to strengthen the buoyancy chamber, I place a series of broken wires 16 around the same.

The buoyancy chamber 11, may be made as shown in Fig. 4, or I may place therein a gas bag 20 of any shape, in the present inshape, formed like an elongated link or loop, (see dotted lines in Fig. 2) placed on the inside edge or periphery of the chamber 11. I may form the chamber 11' of any contour and also the gas bag 20. The gas bag can be filled or emptied in the usual manner. The buoyancychamber may be attached to the flying machine in any approved manner,

. but in such a way that it will not hamper the tor can regain control, in many cases this is impossible to do, even f he were capable ofdoing so under certain circumstances and conditions. In order to prevent many of these accidents and mishaps, and regain control of the machine, or keep it from being precipitated to the earth, I have devised the buoyancy chamber which I employ over the 110' stance, in Fig. 3, showing one of cylindrical top of the machine. In case the operator finds it necessary to stabilize his machine the order of a parachute.

I rush into saidchamber-and thus have a'tendency to buoy the machine and prevent its too rapid descent; the chamber acting on v In order to make this buoyancy chamber 7 more effective, I may, if desired,emp1oy a gas bag as herein described, whichwill add still more to the buoyancy of this chamber.

, By using this invention, many accidents may be prevented and the operator will feel vmore secure andbe encouraged and satis fied in the use of the machine.

Y B Q the use of my attachment, the flying. ing mach n testimony whereof,

ine can be used to advantage in teaching the art of flying, as the student isnot apt to be injured, and he .feels a certain (1 rec ofsafety is provided for him. ,2 5

c y attachment will also be advantageous August, 1919. I F 1 to machines of this character used for ordidistances by amateurs.

'nary commercial purposesin flying for short will be connected to the-machine in such a mannerthat the strength of the machine and its flying properties Will notrbe impairedh class described, comprising a buoyancy chamber, said buoyancy chamber rigidly attached to the flying machine and being'a component part thereof, and formed {of spaced walls, terminating in pointed-edges and means for strengthening the same, an auxiliarygas bag on the inside of the buoyancy chamber hugging the edge thereof, and

a door injsaid chamber, andm'eans for openand closingsaid door, 7 I a I, aflix'my signa- IiTWiII be understood that this attachment ture at Cincinnati, hio,; this 16th dayof GEoRGEH. 

